Tag: Albums

Bon Jovi – This House Is Not For Sale Bon Jovi return with a new look and a revitalized sound. Loaded with great Arena Rock anthems that hook you on first listen. Ritchie Sambora’s replacement Phil X does an amazing filling what should have been a huge void in their sound. Favorite Tracks – Living…

Fiction Plane – Mondo Lumina Producer – Tom Syrowski When I first heard this album I thought I could hear a slight Police influence. Come to find out that lead vocalist and bass player is Sting’s son Joe Sumner. Just a great indie-pop rock album with catchy melodies and great musicianship. Favorite Tracks –…

Foo Fighters – Sonic Highways Producer – Butch Vig Let me preface this review for people who don’t know the concept of this album. Sonic Highways is eight songs each recorded in a different city and iconic studio that were collectively important in shaping american music. Each city and song was featured in an eight…

Aaron West and the Roaring Twenties – We Don’t Have Each Other Producer – Ace Enders Hands down, this is the greatest concept album ever written. Aaron West is broken down after finding out his wife has left him. He ends up leaving town to get away from the pain of losing the love of…

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers – Hypnotic Eye Producer – Tom Petty, Mike Campbell, Ryan Ulyate First listen of this album I shunned it. I had to check it out because it’s Tom Petty but the first listen was not what I was expecting. Second listen, I got it. I had to give it another…

Royal Blood – Royal Blood Producer – Tom Dalgety, Mike Kerr, Ben Thatcher The debut album from this British duo group rocks harder than anything The White Stripes have ever done. This is raw pure rock music much like the original Nirvana album was. It’s not overproduced yet has an amazing sense of direction. Bass and…

Nickel Creek – A Dotted Line Producer – Eric Valentine On their first album since 2007 Nickel Creek have easily picked up right where they left off. Bluegrass songs infused with pop arrangements and melodies performed by three virtuosic musicians. You will never find more talent in a three piece group then you do in…

The Gaslight Anthem – Get Hurt Producer – Mike Crossey The last time Gaslight Anthem were on my list they were number one with 2010’s American Slang. Their new album Get Hurt is every bit as good. This new album stays true to their Jersey sound but also explores some new territories. “Stay Vicious” is…

Weezer – Everything Will Be Alright In The End Producer – Ric Ocasek Weezer put out some of their best work this year. Jam packed with great hooks and clever lyrics, this is their best album since the original blue record. Lead single “Back to the Shack” sums it all up best singing “Back to…

O.A.R. – The Rockville LP Producer – Gregg Wattenberg, Marc Roberge, Jerry DePizzo, Nathan Chapman OAR gets everything right on their 8th studio album The Rockville LP. Every single song on this album jams with great grooves and incredibly infectious melodies. The standout track “Caroline The Wrecking Ball” showcases Marc Roberge’s amazing ability to craft…

Pvris – White Noise Producer – Blake Harnage Pvris’ comparisons to Paramore are fair and just but I can’t get enough new music from Paramore so this fills the lulls exceptionally well. Powerful songs laced with electronic landscapes are so incredibly well written. Lead singer Lyndsey Gunnulfsen’s voice is so strong and a joy to…

Scars on 45 – Safety In Numbers Producer – Will Jackson, Jeff Peters, Scars On 45 I have never heard a male and female duo fronted band sound so beautiful together than on this album. The two voices mesh and harmonize together so perfectly like they were made for each other. The first single “Crazy…

Ryan Adams – Ryan Adams Producer – Ryan Adams Before the release of this album I had never listened to any of Ryan Adams’ thirteen previous albums. I knew of him but just never got around to checking his music out. I finally decided to give him a listen with this new self titled album….

Hozier – Hozier Producer – Rob Kirwan File this album under Indie Alt R&B if there is such a genre. Irish Singer/Songwriter Hozier’s debut album is a luscious mix of soulful and seductive songs that resonate impressively. Lead track “Take Me To Church” alone is good enough to put put this album on my list,…

Phillip Phillips – Behind The Light Producer – Gregg Watenberg, Dereck Fuhrmann and Phillip Phillips American Idol winner Phillip Phillips really impressed me with his sophomore album Behind The Light. It sounds almost too much like Dave Matthews but thats not a bad thing. Phillips still has enough originality to make it his own sound. Plain…

Jenny Lewis – The Voyager Producer – Ryan Adams Former front woman of Rilo Kiley released her third solo album this year and this time it’s as good as anything she has ever done with her former band. I hold a high admiration for Rilo’s 2007 album “Under The Blacklight” so much so that it…